Woman's death: Rampal sent to judicial custody

HISAR: A local court today sent the self-styled godman Rampal to judicial custody in connection with the death of a woman follower in his ashram during the recent standoff between his disciples and police.

Rampal was produced before the court of Judicial Magistrate (Hisar) Prateek Jain today after the completion of his three-day police remand relating to a murder case registered against him on November 19 in Barwala police station.

Police sought 5-day police remand in connection with the death of a woman who along with four other women and an infant were killed during the over 10 day standoff in Satlok Ashram last month.

The court had sent Rampal in 3-day police remand in this case on December 8.

The case was registered against Rampal and some of his followers under Section 302 of the IPC (murder).

The 63-year-old controversial godman was arrested from his ashram at Barwala in Hisar on November 19.

He was produced before the Punjab and Haryana High Court a day after his arrest in connection with a contempt case and was sent to police custody for five days by a court.

Rampal has been slapped with cases of sedition, murder, attempt to murder, waging war against the state government, rioting, illegal detention and others.

Violent clashes between followers of Rampal and police led to death of five women and an infant and left over 200 people, including some policemen, injured.